Machine for drying tobacco



(No Model.)

L. LOTTIER.

MACHINE FOR DRYING TOBACCO. No. 257,031. Patented Apr; 25, 1882.

it: I :1???

171 1/6 212 07 I M {WC/k v- (An/[0w N PETERS, Phnw-Luhu n hen Washinghn. D. C,

NITED STATES PATE T OFFICEa LAVVRENOE LOTTIER, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

MACHINE FOR DRYING TOBACCO.

SPECIFICATION forming part a Letters Patent No. 257,031, dated April 25, 1882.

Application filed March 30, 1880.

T all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE LOTTIER, of Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Drying Tobacco; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and cheap machine for evaporating the surplus moisture out of the tobacco after it has passed through the sweetening solution, or at any stage of a process requiring the water to be evaporated, and at the same time the tobacco leaves to be left in a soft and pliable condition for manipulation. To accomplish these ends it has heretofore been the practice to dry the tobacco in the sun-a slow and troublesome process, depending entirely upon bright sunlight for success-or in tigh tly-closed dry-rooms or air-tight boxes by means of direct or indirectly radiated heat-,which prevents the vapors from escaping, thereby causing the leaf to bake and darken, requiring it to be moistened by steam, which still further darkens it and injures its flavor.

In my invention the results sought for are obtained by spreading the tobacco upon a screen of perforated metal,wire-gauze, netting, or other opentextile fabric, and passing up through it a current of air, first cold at the front of the machine, and then gradually becoming heated toward the other end of the machine sufliciently to evaporate the surplus moisture. The mass of tobacco is meanwhile kept in motion upon the screen by operatives from the head toward the other end of the machine until the proper degree of dryness is obtained. It is found in practice that by gradually heating the current of air, as described, the flavor of the tobacco is much improved.

My invention consists in the various operative combinations of the mechanism employed by me.

The construction of an apparatus suitable for the employment of the process used by me will be best understood by reference to the accompanyin g drawings, forming a part of this (No model.)

specification, in which similar letters refer to like parts.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, of my drying-machine, the deflecting-boards not being shown. Fig. 3 is an end elevation, showing the induction and exhaust pipes for steam.

In Fig. 1, A is the hot-air case, closed upon all sides except the top, upon which is placed the tray B, having a bottom of perforated metahwire screen, or a netting of textile fabric.

In the case A are located numerous coils of steam-pipe, E E E E, placed as shown, and supported by pieces of iron pipe d d d, Fig. 1. The steam, preferably live steam, is admitted at; D D, and the exhaust,with the water of condensation, is passed off through the pipe F.

'At one end of the machine is placed a fanblower, G, which forces cold air into the case A. The mouth-piece a of the blower G is made fan-shaped, as shown at a, Fig. 2, thereby converting the round mouth of the blower into an elongated opening, as seen at a, Fig. 3. By this means the blast of air is spread out so as to cover the whole width of the case.

Within the case, and at-equal distances, are placed one or more deflecting-boards, as shown at H K L, Fig. 1, regularly increasing in width, whose province it is to break and deflect the current of air as it leaves the mouth-piece a. These boards are placed at an angle, so as to deflect the current of air up between the steampipcs, whereby it is heated sufficiently for the purpose, being gradually more and more heated as the distance increases from the air-inlet. The tobacco, being placed on the screen 0 in the tray B near the point M to a depth gencrall y exceeding two inches, but varied as experience will dictate, is gradually turned and moved toward the point N. By this means the tobacco is first placed at the coolest point and gradually heated as it is turned over, and finally removed at the hottest place. As fast as the dried tobacco is moved from M to N and removed a fresh supplyis put upon the screen at M. By passing the heated air up through the tobacco the exhalations resulting from the evaporation of the solution in which the tobacco has been immersed pass off in the open air as fast as they are produced, leaving the tobacco soft and pliable, as well as preserving 2. The deflecting-boards H K L, in combithe flavor much better than it is possible to do nation with the blower G and steam-pipes E when it is dried in a tightly-closed box or E,arranged asdescribedmnd for the purposes other receptacle. specified.

5 Having thus described my invention, upon This specification signed and witnessed this 15 which Iwish to secure Letters Patent, Iclaim 29th day of March, 1880.

1. The case A, with the steam-pipes E E, LAWRENUE LOTTIER. the blower G, tray B, and deflecting-boards H Witnesses: K L, arranged as described, and for the pur- FRANK H. HALL, 1o poses specified. JOHN G. SoHRoEDER. 

